Effect of albumin and polyvinyl alcohol on the vitality, motility and acrosomal integrity of canine spermatozoa incubated in vitro.

Sperm culture media used for in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures are important factors concerning the viability, motility and acrosomal integrity of spermatozoa. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three different sperm diluting media, tissue culture medium (TCM-199), sperm culture medium (Sp-TALP) and human tubular fluid (HTF) supplemented with varying concentrations of bovine serum albumin (1, 4 and 6%) or polyvinyl alcohol (0.8%) on the acrosomal integrity, motility and viability of canine spermatozoa. Ejaculates collected from four dogs were diluted in all media and spermatozoa were separated from seminal plasma by the swim-up technique. Sperm progressive motility was assessed using a phase contrast microscope. Viability and acrosomal integrity were evaluated using a dual stain technique (Giemsa-Trypan blue). The results demonstrated that the number of live canine spermatozoa was similar in culture media supplemented or not supplemented with macromolecules. A minimal concentration of albumin (1%) in the three media showed similar effects on vitality, motility and acrosomal integrity, as had higher concentrations (4 and 6%). The percentage of acrosome-intact spermatozoa was markedly higher after HTF (94.1%) than after TCM-199 (70.1%) or Sp-TALP (71.0%) without supplementation. It is concluded that serum bovine albumin, irrespective of the concentration, preserved sperm viability and function, and HTF is the most suitable medium for preserving the acrosome in canine spermatozoa prepared for in vitro manipulation through short incubation.

Plasma prolactin/oestradiol ratio at 38 weeks gestation predicts the duration of lactational amenorrhoea.

BACKGROUND: Fully breastfeeding women experience an amenorrhoea of variable duration. Our aim was to identify in pregnancy, endocrine markers that could predict the duration of subsequent lactational amenorrhoea. METHODS: We studied 17 healthy women at 34 and 38 weeks gestation, and 1 and 3 months post-partum. The women fully breastfed until 6 months post-partum. During pregnancy, prolactin (PRL), oestrogens (total oestradiol, unconjugated oestrone, unconjugated oestriol), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S), progesterone and placental lactogen, and during post-partum PRL, oestrogens and SHBG, were measured. Free oestradiol in pregnancy and post-partum was calculated. RESULTS: Ten women experienced long (>6 months) and seven experienced short (<6 months) lactational amenorrhoea. At 38 weeks gestation, the women who experienced a long lactational amenorrhoea had twice as much PRL, about half the total oestradiol, lower SHBG concentration (P < 0.05, Student's t-test, Bonferroni modification) and similar free oestradiol concentration, compared with those who experienced short lactational amenorrhoea. The difference in PRL concentration persisted in post-partum postsuckling samples. CONCLUSION: At 38 weeks gestation, the ratio PRL/oestradiol identified all individual women according to the subsequent duration of their lactational amenorrhoea, suggesting that duration of lactational amenorrhoea is conditioned during pregnancy.

Indicadores de riesgo de aterosclerosis: evaluación mediante coronariografía en hombres no diabéticos con colesterol total igual o menor a 240 mg/dl / Index of atherosclerosis risk: evaluation by coronariography in non diabetic males with total cholesterol same or less than 240 mg/dl

We studied 90 male non diabetic patients aged between 40 and 65 years old with a total cholesterol of less than 240 mg/dl and not receiving cholesterol reducing drugs, that were subjected to elective coronary arteriography. Weight, height, blood pressure and smoking habits were recorded and a fsting blood sample was drawn to mesure total and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, apoproteins A! and B, Lipoprotein(a) and plasma cholesteryl ester transfer activity. Arteriography disclosed coronary lesions in 54 patients. Compared to patients without lesions, the former had lower HDL cholesterol (34 ñ 9.8 vs 40.2 ñ 11.6 mg/dl) and higher total cholesterol/HDL, cholesterol and apoB/apoA1 ratios. No differences were found for lipoprotein(a) and plasma cholesteryl ester transfer activity. Unvariate analysis showed that low HDL cholesterol had the best predictive capacity for atherosclerosis

The impact of a hospital and clinic-based breastfeeding promotion programme in a middle class urban environment.

Hospital interventions in support of breastfeeding have been highly successful in areas where the indigenous population has a well established environment of breastfeeding. However, programmes designed to improve breastfeeding patterns in urban populations have met with mixed success. This paper presents a prospective intervention study with a control group in which a health system-based breastfeeding promotion programme was initiated to support optimal breastfeeding for both child health and child spacing. Following collection of control data, a four-step intervention programme (Breastfeeding Promotion Program) was instituted. This paper reports the process of the development of the intervention programme as well as the comparison of the control and study populations. Major findings include significant increases in duration of full breastfeeding from 31.6 per cent at 6 months in the control group to 66.8 per cent in the intervention group. The duration of lactational amenorrhea was similarly increased: 22 per cent of the control mothers and 56 per cent of the intervention group women were in amenorrhoea at 180 days. The cost-effectiveness of the hospital changes is illustrated.

Perfil del síndrome de Sjogren asociado a artritis reumatoídea / Profile of Sjogren syndrome associated to rheumathoid arthritis

Se estudió prospectivamente 105 artritis reumatoídeas a las que se les evaluó tiempo de evolución de la enfermedad y de los síntomas de Sjogren. Se les efectuó test de Schirmer y se les midió flujo salival, se les determinó factor reumatoídeo, anticuerpos antinucleares, anti Ro, anti La y crioprecipitinas. A los pacientes con xerostomía y xeroftalmía se les efectuó biopsia de las glándulas salivares menores. La incidencia de síndrome de Sjogren fue de 44,8% y su aparición estuvo en relación directa con el tiempo de evolución de la artritis reumatoídea. La xerostomía fue un síntoma frecuente de Sjogren, pero también se encontró en artritis reumatoídeas sin este síndrome. El factor reumatoídeo y el anti Ro tuvieron un alto valor predictivo positivo y la certeza diagnóstica la dió la biopsia